Abstract:
In this study, the utilization of plastic waste as the sole binder in the production of Plastic Waste
Concrete (PWC), a cementitious construction material, is investigated. The research utilized
polypropylene as the type of plastic waste. The PWC exhibits low compressive strength. However, this
unsatisfactory performance can be enhanced by incorporating steel fibers into the PWC. Steel fibers of
25mm length were incorporated with two distinct volume percentages, namely 0.5% and 1.0%.
Following this, the plastic waste is combined with steel fibers and aggregates (fine aggregate, coarse
aggregate) with 50% and 60% plastic contents, respectively, before being melted. And subsequently
melted at a temperature of 250 degrees to generate the binding phase of PWS. After 28 days, the PWC
samples' compression and splitting tensile strength, stress vs strain parameters, flexural strength,
density, water absorption capacity, and durability are evaluated. The results of this research indicate
that it is possible to create a building material using melted plastics as the sole binder. The strength of
PWC60 with less porosity is higher in compression, tension, and flexure than PWC50, with different
steel fibers content. It was discovered that PWC has a compressive strength more than 33 MPa, which
imparts an intriguing mechanical strength behavior characterized by ductile deformation and post-peak
strength that enables it to withstand stresses after failure. The density was observed to decrease as the
plastic percentage increased, and the average density was close to 1200 kg/m3, which is considered
light weight material. The positive results obtained from this research establish this PWC as a viable
contender for the manufacturing of construction materials, with the added benefits of reducing plastic
waste management requirements and generating supplementary income.
